


Seeing Red

by GuardianofFun



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Arthur beats Merlin up, Blood, Fighting, Gen, Hurt Merlin, merlin whump, one sided fighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2015-05-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 14:38:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3940546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuardianofFun/pseuds/GuardianofFun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur sees red, Merlin sees the dark and Gwen tries to get Arthur to see reason.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeing Red

**Author's Note:**

> I'd apologise but I really enjoy seeing Merlin all beat up. I'll leave it up to you to decide how Merlin was found out, this is more the aftermath!

Arthur sees red; Pendragon red, crimson blood, the scarlet of Merlin's neckerchief. His hands gather that very thin material, fabric fraying under his touch. He tugs on it, bunching it in fists that itch to punch, fists that do. He holds his manservant with an iron grasp as he pummels the man with another unwavering hand. Words spill like venom from his lips, a cascade he cannot stop and to be honest, he isn't sure he wants to.

"You lied, Merlin you lied!" And Merlin says nothing, but he wants to, his mouth hanging open like he wants to scream but Arthur won't let him; he'll shut his good-for-nothing servants mouth for once - so he slaps that jaw shut again. Merlin's head cracks back, and he blinks up as his knees give way.

Arthur still sees red, he sees it running down Merlin's face. Seeping through his hair, from a now crooked nose, bubbling at the corners of his pale pink lips. He sees it on the fingers Merlin gingerly runs along his nose. On his own hands, under his nails. Arthur sees purple too, bruises already blossoming underneath the blood. His hand still clutching Merlin's scarf, he takes the man's jaw with the other. His servant whimpers. Somehow that stops him seeing red. His fingers tremble as he releases him.

Now he just sees truth. Merlin is a sorcerer. Merlin is a liar. Merlin is coughing up blood on the floor of his chambers. Merlin - who is staring up at him with eyes brimming with tears that aren't falling - is not looking at the door. The door he could easily run for, escape Arthur. Merlin is slumped over on the tiles, vulnerable. Merlin should be put to death. But Arthur cannot do it.

So Merlin lies there, breathing through broken ribs and blood in his mouth. Arthur stares down, red still lingering around the edges, fading, but not quick enough. His hands hang heavy at his sides but they still twitch, as if to take the man up again and pummel him more.

How _dare_ he lie. How _dare_ he not trust Arthur. How _dare_ he be a sorcerer! His heart loud in his head, Arthur grabs the servants tunic, the same blue he's worn for so many years - years he's lied - and there's blood on it. He trembles with emotion, and he's not sure what is strongest. Fear or anger. Fear that he may actually kill the man in his hands, anger at the secret he kept hidden.

But Merlin looks at him with those big eyes again, balancing on his knees somewhat and speaks through a probably broken jaw. "I swore to serve you till I die, and if my death is to come at your hands then so be it. But just know Arthur," his voice catches on his king's name. "Know I have been your loyal servant since the day we met. Anything I did was for you. Magic included," he says.

Then do you know what he does? Arthur stares down with his jaw clenched.

Then Merlin grins. Bloody teeth and everything, he grins.

Arthur reels for a second, thrown. Merlin's tunic slips from his fingers and the servant collapses into a heap on the floor, gasping for air. Arthur isn't sure how many minutes pass as he stares at Merlin, but when the trickle of blood starts looking more like a pool, he still finds himself calling for Gaius.

* * *

Merlin sees black. Smothering darkness, the crushing tightness of his chest in the seemingly endless black. For Merlin, the first sensation is pain. All sorts. A sharp pain in his chest, a dull one across his stomach and a slow burning hum on his face. Then, the last ties to the dream world are severed and Merlin's eyes crack open.

Merlin sees hazy, dirty whites, the ceiling, maybe? Then he blinks a few times and yes, sees the ceiling. He is aware of the fact he hasn't got a shirt on, or much for that matter, other than bandages. They pull taunt on his torso, and as he gingerly lifts his blanket (though he has no memory of getting into bed) he sees the washed out grey material speckled with red. He feels something else, sticky on his chin. He dabs at it, and it's cool, and he sees blue. A pale blue substance that if he remembers correctly, minimises pain and swelling. Not entirely confident he won't bring up his last meal, he lies back and within moments is asleep again, this time more aware of his aching bones.

His dreamless sleep is interrupted all too soon by the sounds of yelling and crying, and he glances around the room blearily. "-expect everything to be okay? He lied to me! He should be on the pyre right now-"

And then a shriek and the sound of what Merlin thought was a slap. Gwen's voice rings out in the suddenly silent room.

"Arthur Pendragon he is your friend, I don't care what you say! When has he ever done anything to harm you? When, Arthur tell me when, and I'll believe he's evil. Look at him, tell me he's evi- oh!" And this, she had turned to Merlin, and caught sight of him struggling to sit up. She all but throws herself onto the bed, cupping Merlin's clammy face in her hands, mindful of the balm. He groans slightly at the throbbing ache in his jaw. Broken, yes.

He tries to smile at her, but she looks so sad, tears filling her eyes. "Oh Merlin... If you had told me... It didn't have to be like this, Merlin, I-" and then Merlin sways and she gently pushes him down again. Above him, Gwen is a mess of colours and light, making Merlin's head spin.

He hears Arthur say something to Gwen, and hopes more than anything that she won't be in trouble for any of this. He would hate for that. He stares for a long time at the ceiling. Arthur hates him, wants him to burn for his crimes. Tears swim in his own eyes, realising his crime was his life, his very being - something he thought he had realised a long time ago. He had known from his first day in Camelot that he was a dead man walking. He supposed it was only time until they caught him. His heart clammers in his chest, and the pain that it brings sends him back into the dark.

Merlin sees orange. He sees yellow, and red, and there's blue there too - there is heat. Merlin sees fire.

**Author's Note:**

> I have the feeling the sumary suggested Gwen would play a larger role in this than she did, whoops. 
> 
> Also, while in the major character death section, I didn't want to flat out kill Merlin - so if you like, he just go a really nasty fever and now is having terrible dreams!


End file.
